A Novice's Guide to Draping

Step 4

This is where things get difficult--now you actually have to start draping! For my piece I chose to match the colors exactly and got the foundation in as matte a color as possible by using the matte side of the dupioni. I'm anal about that. I think it looks cheap with the shine, but matte side up, it really looks luxurious. At least from afar! Look at your inspiration picture again. Choose a point right above the bodice where the folds are most prevalent, and pin your fabric a little bit above it. Make sure you leave plenty of fabric to reach each edge, you can cut it off later if necessary.

This is the really REALLY hard part: copying the nature of gravity's force on a fabric. Ironically, it can take a lot of pins! You'll need to use trial and error for a while. Walk away a few times. But here's how I accomplished this bodice. Once I have one focal area pinned, I go to the opposite side of the garment and make a tiny pleat on the other side, and pin it. Go to the other side an make a pleat. The fabric acts differently based on where your pleats are! My pleats all go in the same direction--always folded upwards, but you can try different directions.

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